Fumigation — Salt Cat. 197 



common field varieties, and beside being 

 inferior in quality, are too large for pigeons, 

 which have been sometimes choked even 

 with the common-sized horse-beans ; on 

 which account, the smallest possible should 

 be procured, and whence they are termed 

 in the market accounts, " pigeon beans." 

 Pease, wheat, and buck-wheat, or brank, 

 are eaten by pigeons; but should be given 

 only in alternation, not as a constant diet. 

 The same of seeds. They yet prefer wheat. 

 The strong scent of cummin, and flavour of 

 coriander seeds are said to have an alluring 

 effect upon the olfactory nerves and palate 

 of tliese birds ; as also the scent of assa- 

 fcetida, and other powerfully odoriferous 

 drugs ; and that the use of fumigations of 

 such, in the dove-cote, will not only attract 

 the pigeons to their home, but allure 

 strangers, which may be wandering in 

 search of a habitation. 



The last dietetic, or rather, perhaps, medi- 

 cinal article necessary to be described, is 

 the SALT-CAT, so Called from some old fan- 

 cy of baking a real cat with spices, for the 



